PHOENIX, Arizona, November 28. WITH just a few more days until Swimming World announces the World Swimmers of the Year, the excitement is building. Today, we name the 2009 European Swimmers of the Year, as featured in the December issue.
In an incredibly close vote, Italy's Federica Pellegrini held off Germany's Britta Steffen for the Female European Swimmer of the Year award. While racing in front of her home country at the 2009 World Championships, Pellegrini put on a show in Rome. She won the 200 and 400 freestyles with world record performances.
Top Five Female European Swimmers of the Year
1. FEDERICA PELLEGRINI, Italy
2. Britta Steffen, Germany
3. Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden
4. Katinka Hosszu, Hungary
5. Gemma Spofforth, Great Britain
While the women's vote proved to be close, Germany's Paul Biedermann won the Male European Swimmer of the Year honor going away. In a landslide vote by Swimming World's expert panel, Biedermann became the first German man since Michael Gross (1982-86) to win the award.
Top Five Male European Swimmers of the Year
1. PAUL BIEDERMANN, Germany
2. Milorad Cavic, Serbia
3. Thomas Lurz, Germany
4. Fred Bousquet, France
5. Daniel Gyurta, Hungary
Announcements So Far:
Nov. 22. Divers of the Year: China's Guo Jingjing, Qin Kai. Story
Nov. 23. Water Polo Players of the Year. U.S. Betsey Armstrong, Serbia's Andrija Prlainovic. Story
Nov. 24. Synchronized Swimmer of the Year: Russia's Natalia Ishchenko. Story
Nov. 25. Open Water Swimmers of the Year. Germany's Thomas Lurz, Great Britain's Keri-Anne Payne. Story
Nov. 26. African Swimmers of the Year. Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry, Tunisia's Ous Mellouli, South Africa's Cameron van der Burgh. Story
Nov. 27. Pacific Rim Swimmers of the Year. Australia's Jessicah Schipper, China's Zhang Lin. Story